Senator Square: Carson High School opens its doors and hearts to Carson City

Come one, come all. Scheduled for Monday, Sept. 10 from 4:30 to 8 p.m., this once-a-year event takes the traditional back-to-school night to a whole new level as Carson High School opens its doors a little wider and a little longer.

Open House, Open Hearts highlights Carson City based activities, family friendly events, and provides information and screenings for a variety of local services in order to build bridges to those local services for teens and their families, increase parent and guardian engagement with CHS administrators, teachers, students, and activities, and celebrate the community, creativity and diverse talents of Carson City.

More than 25 local community service providers will line the hallways of Senator Square. CHS Principal, Tasha Fuson said, "This promises to be an excellent evening as our team has really tried to bring together community resources that will help support our students and their families."

Families will have the opportunity to become members of The Boys & Girls Club, learn about Carson City School District Nutrition Services programs, connect with affordable healthcare, vision and dental providers, plus much more. Attendees will enjoy treats generously donated by the CHS Culinary students, Round Table Pizza, Pizza Factory, Starbuck’s, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Papa John’s and other local restaurants.

Not only will there be food and beverages, but there will also be entertainment from the talented students of CHS: Cheer, dance, concert choir, chamber orchestra, theatre arts, and NJROTC will perform, as families mingle through the community fair and meet their students’ teachers for the 2018-2019 school year.

The schedule of events: 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. the CHS doors open with community fair tables, performances, and food, 6 to 6:15 p.m. administration welcomes families, and 6:15 to 8:00 p.m. parents and guardians will meet the teachers on classroom tours. New to Carson City? CHS is located at 1111 North Saliman Road. Located in Nevada’s capital, CCSD offers public education to approximately 7,600 students throughout Carson City.

The district includes 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 alternative high school, and 1 comprehensive high school. CCSD boasts many successes including impressive graduation rates, strict safety measures, programs for gifted students, AP classes, and several others.

In a joint venture with Western Nevada College, the CCSD Jump Start College program allows students to complete their senior year of high school and freshman year of college simultaneously, potentially receiving both a CHS diploma and WNC associates degree at the same time. Contact CCSD Public Information Officer Dan Davis at 283-2027 or email him at ddavis@carson.k12.nv.us for more information.

FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
CHS FCA adviser Ty McMillen and the CHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes are at it again with their kindness and contact across the campus. This time, FCA members took some pencils with a positive perspective. From 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”

McMillen and his student leaders have some great ideas for the 2018-2019 school year, not to mention the other FCA groups in the area at Dayton High School with adviser Melaynia Wick, Douglas High School with adviser Ginny Thomas, Carson Middle School with adviser Lance Hendee, and Carson Valley Middle School. The goal of FCA is to foster unity and support between the groups as they follow their faith through word, deed, and by sharing with students.

Leaders of CHS FCA include teachers Charles Mann, Joe Clark, Nate Girdner, and Phil Brady. Also supporting FCA are Student Ministries Pastors at LifePoint Church, Centerpoint Church, and FCA missionary on staff Tim Plummer, Youth Pastor at Hilltop Community Church, Kurt Katzorke, and others. For the CHS lunchtime meeting Aug. 21, in Adviser Ty McMillen’s room, CHS graduates and current college students Jordan Aikins and Valerie Sue Meyer will be returning to their alma mater to share their Christian experiences as current college students and as former CHS FCA members.

Students for School Safety

Students for School Safety is a new club here at CHS. The club will focus on school safety and student activism, so please join them for their first monthly meeting Sept. 10 at lunch in CHS Physical Education teacher Jennifer Minifie's classroom, 148. 

Lip Sync Audition
Lip sync auditions are Sept. 10 through 28 in room 266. Sign up at the CHS Student Store: Songs must be at least 2 minutes long and appropriate. The winning team gets free tickets to the CHS Homecoming dance.


Future Business Leaders of America Meeting

Desire to start and own a business, be a millionaire or entrepreneur, CHS FBLA is the organization in which to be a part. Join them for their first monthly meeting Sept. 11 at lunch in room 249. All students are welcome.

Ski Team
There will be a Ski team meeting Sept 12 in room 241 for all interested in joining for the 2018-2019 season.

Blue Thunder Band Fundraiser
Capital Ford and CHS are working together to raise $6,000 in support of the CHS Band program as part of Ford Motor Company’s Drive 4 UR School program. The drive will be held in the CHS North Parking Lot on Sept. 15. For every person who test-drives a new Ford vehicle, Ford Motor Company will donate $20, up to a maximum donation of $6,000. Drivers must be a minimum age of 18, and only one driver per household is allowed. The whole experience takes less than 20 minutes, and 300 drivers are needed.

All band members are now busy signing up drivers. Proceeds will be used to support the Blue Thunder Marching Band, Jazz Band, Cadet Band, Concert Band, and Wind Ensemble. Please call Michelle Bowler, Vice President and member of the CHS Band Boosters Carson City Band Association, Inc. for more information 230-4748.

Community of Bilingual English and Spanish Speakers
The UNR Community of Bilingual English and Spanish Speakers is offering a new health care program for bilingual juniors to become part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience at no cost. Learn more at www.unr.edu/CBESS.

Fifth Annual Statewide Recycled Art Contest
Make a Difference. Make a Masterpiece. The Nevada Recycles program has partnered with The Venetian Resort Las Vegas to support a statewide recycled art contest to increase Nevadans’ awareness in recycling. Submission guidelines are available at NevadaRecycles.nv.gov.

Patty Moen is the Northern Nevada Recycling Coordinator at the Solid Waste and Recycling Branch of the Bureau of Sustainable Materials Management facility, 901 South Stewart Street in Carson City, Nevada. Call her at 687-9406 or 684-2715 for more information.

Student of the Week
The CHS Student of the Week is the amazing Trinity Harvey, a sophomore. The reasons why are obvious to those who have the privilege of knowing Trinity, one of the kindest and hard working young ladies on campus. Her challenging classes are just the beginning: Honors Algebra II, Honors World History, Honors Spanish III, Honors Chemistry I, Honors English II, Health Science II, and NJROTC II.

NJROTC also includes her participating on the rifle team, Orienteering team, and on occasion color guard for sports teams such as volleyball. She also plays the trumpet in the CHS Marching Band. When asked about what she does in her free time, Trinity responded with, “Like I have any free time.” Trinity Harvey, another example of CHS quality.

Senior in the Spotlight
Carson High school is pleased to recognize Eleanor Sturm as this week’s Senior in the Spotlight. Eleanor has a weighted GPA of 4.85 and is currently continuing her academic pursuits with a full load of classes, four of which are AP.

Eleanor has been a member of the CHS National Honor Society for three years and is currently serving as its President. She also played on the CHS Girls Varsity Tennis team for two years. In addition to her outstanding academic work, Eleanor is passionate about music.

She plays the violin in the CHS Orchestra and has qualified for the All-State Orchestra three years in a row on both the violin and the cello. She has played with the Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra for nine years and has performed for three years with the Toccata Tahoe Symphony Orchestra.

This summer, Eleanor was selected to attend the highly competitive National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This was a month long, full scholarship program where Eleanor was able to immerse herself in her music.

She has also been a three year Rotary Music Competition winner. Eleanor shares her musical passion by volunteering as a mentor with the Carson City Symphony Youth Strings program in addition to teaching private violin lessons. She is interested in pursuing further education in Violin Performance and Biochemistry and will be applying to several select colleges with strong music and science programs.

CHS is proud of the contributions Eleanor has made to her school and community and looks forward to the future accomplishments of this extremely talented student.

— Senator Square columnist Phil Brady is an English teacher at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev.